Become a Journalist

Train with PA Media / PA Training

Sports journalism

Train to become a sports journalist

This course will set the foundations for your career in sports journalism, giving you the opportunities to develop all the skills sports media are looking for.

You’ll spend one day a week learning how to write great previews, match reports, interviews, commentary and more. Coached by a specialist sports journalist trainer, you’ll be given lots of opportunity to put your learning into practice. 

All our courses are accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)

 If you’re interested in matching your passion for sport with a career in journalism, apply now.

Who the course is for 

  • Anyone interested in starting a career in journalism 
  • Recent college or university leavers 

We also work with companies who wish to invest in their teams to improve their journalism skills. 

sports journalism course
Develop the skills to start your sports career
basketball interview
A qualification that can lead to excellent opportunities

Dates 

  • 19-week programme of study at our London HQ 
  • The next course runs 19th February – 27th June 2024
  • The following course intake begins 2nd September 2024

Where 

61 Queen Street, London, EC4R 1EB

We are based in the heart of the city, a short walk from parliament and the central criminal court.

Fees 

£5,563 for the full course.

Fees can be paid by instalments

Modules 

  • Essential Journalism – the basics of how to get the story and develop strong writing skills. No matter the role you’re aiming for, you’ll need to show these skills to get the job  
  • Ethics – understand the code that guides journalists and discuss real-life issues 
  • Essential Media Law and Court Reporting – this is essential for any journalist. The toolbox no journalist can be without, and every editor wants to know you have  
  • Journalism for a Digital Audience – understand how modern digital publishing organisations work and how to write brilliant stories across all digital platforms  
  • Public Affairs – understand how power works and how you can challenge it  
  • Shorthand – develop the skills to write 100 words a minute

After five weeks study, you will then choose a specialism so you can build your skills and knowledge in an area that interests you. 

Sports specialism

For candidates interested in sports journalism, you’ll spend one day a week learning how to write great previews, match reports, interviews, commentary and more with our intensive sports training.  

Coached by a specialist sports journalist trainer, you’ll be given lots of opportunity to put your learning into practice. Our sports journalism course has the full support of PA Sport, the biggest sports agency in the UK, and you’ll have access to the sports wire, with the chance to work on real assignments.

At the end of the course, you’ll take the NCTJ’s Sports Journalism module, which future employers will be looking for.  

Your portfolio

All trainees also receive video training throughout the course, and you will build a strong portfolio so you have a range of work to show editors when it comes to finding a job.  

Next steps

We have excellent links with newsrooms and can also offer support and advice to those choosing freelance careers. After the course you’ll be able to join our alumni network and build connections with other PA Training graduates.

Learning Outcomes

Develop the skills for good storytelling

Understand the code that guides journalists

Learn the basics of media law and court reporting

Learn the skills for creating excellent digital content

Learn how to write up to 100 words a minute

Why choose PA Training?

PA Hexagon

Europe's leading newsroom

We provide the best start to your career with our industry-leading journalism training. Training with the UK and Ireland’s national press agency means that you’ll be treated like a journalist from day one of your course, and we’ll focus on giving you the skills you need that potential employers are looking for.

PA Hexagon

Learn from the experts

You’ll be taught by senior journalists from some of the UK’s most prestigious newsrooms and produce stories that help you achieve top marks in your NCTJ exams — not to mention gaining the best start to your journalism career.